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December 31, 2008

December 17, 2008

The other day the weather guy said not to expect any "significant cooling" before Christmas, and I just groaned, because even though I live in Florida, I like the cooler temps in the winter. And let's face it, baking cookies on an 80 degree day does not feel Christmasy! I sort of need that cold, frozen feeling to get in the cookie baking mood.

This morning the weather guy changed his mind, said they were watching a possible cold front, and it was possible... we just might get something in the way of coldness. Oh please, oh please. We had temps in the 40's and 50's just a few weeks ago. Perfect weather!

Anyway, cookie baking day will be either Saturday or Sunday, depending on whether or not outside forces interrupt me yet again. I think Saturday would be best. Brittany's winterguard team is working out 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and yours truly will be in the kitchen making side dishes for their dinner. Perfect time to fire up the oven. I just hope it's COLD. Or perhaps Sunday, when the whole family is home, so I'll have help.

Want some new cookie recipes? The St. Pete Times is out with their annual cookie section, and they have some good ones this year! Check it out here. Those apple cookies look good. So do the Tropical White Chocolate cookies. Run your mouse over the pics and drool. Try not to go there when you're hungry!

December 12, 2008

Ahh, Miami. Here's her skyline, in a closely cropped photo taken at Matheson Hammock. That's Biscayne Bay in the foreground. You see Biscayne Bay often on Miami, CSI.

This is what the photo was cropped from. I am lazy today, just using Picasa! :)

Matheson Hammock lies along Old Cutler Road in the southeastern part of the county.

It is truly worth your time to drive along Old Cutler Road if you're visiting town. I think it's one of the more beautiful roads in the state, and the attractions nearby are spectacular as well.

When I was a little kid, I used to come here to swim. At the time, I thought the little atoll was almost as big as the ocean itself. Now, I'm just glad it's still there, and that still looks unspoiled.

I know that family and friends of mine who have since left Miami will see these pics and I know the memories it brings back for them will be good ones. We were all very, very lucky to grow up here in such a beautiful place. I do miss that, sometimes.

Here's Rick, Sam and her boyfriend, Owen, checking out baby barracuda. They also have signs warning about crocodiles, which was new to me. Rick used to catch blue crab there, back in the old days. ;)

As teenagers, we'd ride our bikes here and lay in the sun, working on our skin cancer and backgammon skills.

And now, you ask, why is this gorgeous place so deserted? Why, it was Black Friday, of course. We were in Miami for Thanksgiving to see Rick's family. And Black Friday is the best time to go to the beach! You will never catch me in a mall on Black Friday, nope.

Here's the snack bar. I was really glad to see it is still standing! We used to get the best fries and ice cream sandwiches here. There's a restaurant there now, but a small snack bar is still in place.

Now I direct your attention to the walls in the pics above and below. Check out that rock! That's coral rock, strong as an ox, and those walls have withstood many a hurricane or two. Rick's parent's house in Miami has a lot of coral rock just below the soil line, which makes for almost impossible digging in some areas of their back yard.

Behold, the talking Heads!

I do slay myself. ;)

All around the snack bar, we'd see these giant iguanas running across the roof, which I took for granted, until I got home and realized you might be surprised to see such a thing. So here's another cropped photo. These guys are evidently well fed!

And here I am with our three-quarter family photo. Where is the other one-fourther? NOT taking the photo, that's for sure! No, the lazy bum was back at her grandparent's house, her nose buried in the fourth Twilight book. I am all aghast. Shoulda put my foot down!

December 07, 2008

The little black thing hung by itself on a thin strip of plastic, destined to either make or break my day. By the time I reached for it, I was exasperated and tired of trying the damn things on. Either the straps would dig into my shoulders or else the back would ride up my spine, making for a most uncomfortable fit. Sometimes the girls would bust right out of the cups and other times they'd fight for air until I released the back snap and tossed the whole of lace and silk aside.

I twisted and turned, stuffed and plumped, rearranged and readjusted, and rejected them one by one. Finally I reached for the last one, hoping this would be the miracle it was supposed to be, and it was. I stood there with some relief, rubbing the inside of my arms against my sides, pleased to find there wasn't any ribbon or thread or lace to scratch and itch. The soft straps lay easily on my shoulders. No uneven fit, nor bunching in all the wrong places. Finally, I had a new bra.

Getting dressed, I went back out and bought the same one in different colors and made my way out into the mall where a thousand other cups walked past me, stuffed and plumped accordingly. Find me the women who stood in the design studio while they fashioned all those rejected bras around her body. I don't know what she considered comfortable - she must have been a mannequin!